I Wish He Had Told You
by BookDragon2187
Summary: Upon Fred's death, Hermione learns how he really felt about her. Oneshot.


It was raining. The vile coldness of it caused Hermione to shiver; that's what she told herself, at least.

Just between you and me, Reader, the shivering state of Hermione Granger had nothing to do with the rain at all. Her shivering was due to the sight she saw before her and how she felt about it.

The sight she was seeing was an oak casket being lowered into the ground. Fred Weasley was the occupant of the said-casket.

Hermione's feelings were a chaotic storm inside her. She felt grief and loss like many of the attendees at the funeral did. However, she felt something she had only ever felt one other time. That event being when she had erased her parent's memories of her to protect them from Voldemort and his followers. What she felt then, and what she was feeling now, was her heart breaking.

**-Time Skip-**

When everyone had arrived back at the Burrow, they had settled themselves in the sitting room. Hermione sat between Harry and Ron on the floor.

The family had silently decided to take turns sharing stories and memories of Fred. Of course, many of those stories left a chorus of laughter in their wake.

After a few more people shared, Hermione felt as though she couldn't take anymore. Telling Harry and Ron that she needed some air, she snuck out of the room and out of the house.

She decide to take a walk down to the lake now that the rain had cleared, only leaving gray-clouded skies behind. She let her mind wonder as she walked.

Scenes of Fred's death played over and over again in her head. She kept telling herself that she should've done something. Pushed him out of the way. Stopped the wall from crushing him. But, deep down she knew that there was nothing she could have done.

Once she was nealy at the banks of the lake, she noticed that someone else was there. He was tall and stalky with a shock of ginger hair. There was a time where most would have mistaken him for his twin, but those days were long gone now...

"Hermione?" George said, noticing her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, George," started Hermione, now broken from her thoughts. "I didn't think anyone else was down here. I'll just leave you be."

"No, it's okay," he assured her. "I wouldn't mind the company."

So the pair of them stood side by side in silence. They took comfort in the mere presence of one another as they stared out over the water of the lake.

After several moments passed, George took Hermione's hand in his. "I wish he had told you," he said without looking at her.

Hermione furrowed her brow in confusion. "Told me what?"

"He really loved you, y'know. Fred."

"I loved him too. Just as much as I love you and Ginny and the rest of your family," she said without hesitation. She _did_ love the Weasleys, and now that Fred was gone, a part of her felt guilty for never telling him that she loved him; however, she vowed to show each Weasley how much she really cared for them as often as she could.

"Well, I appreciate that, Hermione," George chuckled sadly, now finally looking at her. "I love you too, but that's not what I meant."

"What do you mean?" she asked, her confusion increasing by the second.

"Fred loved you, Hermione. Not like you love Harry and me, though. See, Fred was _in _love with you."

Hermione's eyes widened. Fred Weasley, _the _Fred Weasley, was in love with her?

"Merlin, Hermione. Don't look so shocked. Surely a witch as bright as you could figure something like that out."

A memory from years ago suddenly jumped to Hermione's mind.

**oOo**

She had been crying then. Periwinkle skirts flowing around her as she wept on the floor of an empty classroom. Ron, as usual, had said something nasty to her, so she had left the ball so no one could witness her tears.

There was a knock on the door. "Go away, Harry," she choked out, thinking that her best friend had followed her to see if she was okay. However, when the door creaked open, Harry was nowhere to be seen. Instead, Fred peeked his ginger head inside.

"F-Fred?" Hermione said slightly surprised.

"What makes you think I'm Fred?" he asked lightheartedly as he ventured further into the room. "Maybe I'm George."

Hermione had learned to tell Fred and George apart ages ago, which was something she couldn't understand why others couldn't accomplish, and was in no mood for games. "Come off it, Fred. I know it's you."

He chuckled softly. "Alright, Granger. You caught me," he said as he slid on to the floor next to her. "Are you okay?"

"Fantastic," she replied sarcastically, trying to keep her voice steady.

"There's no need to lie, Hermione," Fred said quietly, his usual joking tone now serious. "Come on, what did my git brother do this time?"

Hermione scoffed in disgust. "He told me that the only reason Viktor Krum could ever show interest in me is so he could get to Harry!" She paused for a moment and let a new batch of tears flow down her cheeks before she continued. "I know I'm not very attractive nor interesting, but I just thought that I could have one night where I was."

She was sobbing again. The force of the tears caused her body to quake, so much so that she made no move to push away Fred as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest.

The pair of them stayed in that position for a long time before Hermione had calmed down enough to say anything.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Angelina?" she asked as she gently drew back from Fred's embrace.

"Oh, about that," Fred said, scratching at the back of his neck nervously. "She went off with George about an hour before I came looking for you."

"What?" Hermione asked surprised.

Fred laughed softly. "Yeah. George and Angelina were always crazy about each other."

"Then why did you ask her to the ball?"

"'Cause I knew George'd never do it. He's a bit shy around her, see. I figured that I'd ask her, and then get George jealous enough to where he'd talk to her for more than sixty seconds. 'Course Angelina was in on the whole thing."

Hermione was mildy impressed. "And here I thought you liked Angelina as it seemed you were always together when George wasn't around. Now I realize that you two were just conspiring."

"Yeah, just conspiring," Fred said with a smile. "Besides, Angelina isn't really my type."

Hermione let out a breathy laugh. "What, beautiful and athletic isn't your type?"

"Beautiful, yes. Athletic, not exactly. My ideal bird is a bit more bookish."

Hermione said nothing at those words, but Fred was quick to change the subject. "You know, I think they're just finishing up. What d'you say, Granger?" he began, leaping to his feet and offering her his hand. "Shall we go back and dance out the last song of the evening together?"

Hermione smiled up at him and took his hand. "We shall." And, Reader, that's just what they did.

**oOo**

Hermione eyes shimmered with tears at the memory. A memory she hadn't thought of for several years.

She shifted her gaze to George, who was smiling sadly at her. "Like I said, I wish he had told you." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. "I'll see you back at the house, Hermione. You take as long as you need." He inclined his head towards the hand he had been holding before walking away.

Hermione looked down at her hand and was stunned to see a folded piece of parchment grasped in it. She quickly unfolded it. It was a letter.

_Dear Hermione,_

_If you're reading this, well, you know what's happened to me..._

_I wasn't planning on writing this. In fact, I never planned on telling you how I felt about you, but here it goes._

_I love you, Hermione Granger. The whole 'think of you when I hear sappy love songs' kind of love. I love you. I love how smart you are. I love how much of a secret rebel you are. I love just about everything about you._

_My one regret that I have is never telling you. I guess a part of me never believed that you could return my feelings, and if you don't, then that's okay. Just as long as you're happy._

_Just promise me something, Hermione. Promise me that you won't let any of these tragedies of war stop you from living. Promise me you'll live your life to the fullest. Do everything you've ever dreamed of doing. Do it all. Live for me._

_And if you ever happen to miss little ole me, just remember that I'm always with you no matter what. I'll be with you till the very end. Forever._

_With Love,_

_Fred_

Hemione held the letter to her heart. A few tears fell from her eyes as she whispered, "I love you too, Fred."

**AN: So this hurt my heart, but I wanted to try something different. Any who, I hoped you enjoy, or enjoy the pain, I guess... Please leave reviews and don't forget to check out my other Fremione story: What If I Told You That I Love You? I promise that one is a lot less sad.**


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